The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-12-08
AFAmILy AFFAIR.
Were Old Man Bennett's Relations
mixed UP in the Robbery
Suspicious Circumstances Which
Tend to ImpIIcate Frank Patten.
He is Arrested and Carried to Bangor
for Examination.

NEWPORT. Dec. Facts which have
come into the possession Of the officers in
yestigating the recent assault upon and rob-
berry of. $4,000 from Peter Bennett, have
resulted in the arrest on suspicion of Frank
Patten. Patten and his wife, the latter q
granddaughter to Bennett live in the house
and claim that when they heard the pistol
shots they Jumped from the window and ran
for assistance. The most damaging fact that
the officers discovered in their investigation
Yesterday was that Patten had tried to buy
some leather book-straps in this village, sim
liar to those found, and supposed to have
obtained for the purpose of binding the old
man. Patten stoutly denies any completely
in the robbery. he is small-sized fellow,
about 25 years old, and possessed of only
very ordinary intelligence While Patten is
not directly charged with the robbery, it is
believed that he is connected with it.
BANGOR, Dec Frank Patten, who
lived with old man Bennett, who was robbed
at East Newport was arrested last night by
brought to Bangor this morning. The
officers think he knows something about the
robbery and have brought him here for
closer questioning. To Commercial re-
porter this morning he stoutly denied that
he knew anything Of the affair and said that
he also was sure that young Bennett had
nothing to do with it.
The window in the room occupied by Pat
ten and his wife was examined by the offic-
ers, who found that with the utmost efforts
1t could only be pushed up eight inches-a
narrow space for man and woman to get
through in hurry as they claimed. Patten
was made to get out of the window as he
said he did on the night of the robbery, but
1t was not easily done, as be could just
squeeze through.
Patten also stated that he had jumped out
OF the window in his bare feet and ran
across ploughed field, which was frozen,
while on his way to the house of Benefits
son, Frank The officers examined his feet,
which he said had not been washed since the
night of the robbery, but could not find the
least signs Of any cuts, bruises or dirt
which would naturally have been found had
he done as he said.
There were some spruce boughs, used for
banking purposes, under the window, but
these were not disturbed, and persons
jumping from the window could not help
stepping upon them. A singular fact in con-
nection with the affair is, that according to
the testimony of Bennett and Patten and his
wife, the dog, which has the reputation of
being a good watch dog and of barking on
every possible occasion, was not heard to
animal had been put out doors about 1880
o'clock, only short time before the bur-
glary took place. The dog must have been
near the house at the time, and it is thought
the robbers must have been known to the
animal.
A mask was found Monday night near the
house by some of the neighbors and it was
given to the officers yesterday. 1t was made
of brown dress cloth with eye-holes, and a
string run through the edge to hold it on
with
Tho dataotiya x,,orlr 90 nlypoo,+b hos 70
suited as yet in nothing tangible, but the
officers confidence is increasing that the dis
covery of important information is not far
away. Young Patten will probably be al
lowed to return home tomorrow. A stranger
the description Of the man said to have been
seen at the house by Mrs. Patten, and who
also inquired for Benefits When brought
before her she failed to identify him as the
man and he was released.